Cladonia furcata
≡Lichen furcatus Huds., Fl. angl.: 458 (1762).
Description : Flora (1985: 113). See also Archer (1992b: 125).
Chemistry : Cortex K−, C−, KC−, Pd+ red; containing fumarprotocetraric acid (major) and protocetraric acid (tr.)
N: Northland (Little Barrier I.), South Auckland (Penguin I.), Taupo, Pohangina Valley. S: Nelson Lakes, Westland, Canterbury (Dog Stream Hanmer, Mt Binser, Sebastopol), Southland (Esperance Valley Fiordland). C: Ant: (Waterhouse-Reliance Saddle). Mainly subalpine, amongst rocks, rarely coastal, in Nothofagus forest, Leptospermum heath on soil, rotting logs and tussock bases in grassland. Known also from Europe, Scandinavia, Asia, North Central and South America, Africa, Oceania and Australia (Goward 1999; Ahti 2000; Brodo et al. 2001; Ahti & Hammer 2002; Wolseley et al. 2002; McCarthy 2003c, 2006).
Cosmopolitan
Illustrations : Galløe (1954: 42, pls 74–79); Filson & Rogers (1979: pl. 3B); Jahns (1980: 209, fig. 490); Moberg & Holmåsen (1982: 143); Filson & Archer (1986: 226, fig. 8); Wirth (1987: 147; 1995b: 304E; 326); Krog et al. (1994: 157); Goward (1999: 114, fig. 16B; 129, fig. 12A); Dobson (2000: 128 ; 2005: 139); Brodo et al. (2001: 256, pls 237, 238); Sérusiaux et al. (2004: 58).
Cladonia furcata is distinguished from C. scabrisucula by the corticate (never sorediate) podetia and the fewer podetial squamules. C. furcata is a variable species and requires further study since C. furcata s. lat. may contain several taxa that are still not understood fully. Exuberant specimens may reach 10 cm tall, with a rather thick medullary layer. These entities resemble C. macroptera Räsänen.
